What does "Is it lawful to pay taxes" reveal about the Pharisees' intentions? Setting the Scene • Matthew 22:15-16 sets the tone: “Then the Pharisees went out and conspired to trap Jesus in His words. They sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth…’” • The alliance with the Herodians—supporters of Rome—shows premeditated scheming; normally, these two groups were ideological foes. • Their flattery (“we know that You are truthful…”) was a mask for malice (Psalm 55:21). The Loaded Question “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17) This one line exposes three intertwined intentions: 1. Trap Jesus in a political snare – If He said “Yes,” nationalistic Jews could charge Him with disloyalty to God’s chosen people (cf. Deuteronomy 17:15). – If He said “No,” the Herodians could report Him to Rome as a revolutionary (Luke 23:2). 2. Discredit His spiritual authority – By forcing a “wrong” answer, they aimed to undermine the crowds’ admiration (Matthew 22:33). – Proverbs 26:24-26 warns that hidden hatred will be exposed; Jesus’ answer would show whose counsel truly stood. 3. Justify their own rejection of Christ – Having repeatedly resisted His calls to repentance (Matthew 21:32), they sought legal grounds to silence Him (John 11:48). – Their question reveals hearts hardened by pride, not seekers of truth (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus’ Diagnosis of Their Hearts • “But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you testing Me?’” (Matthew 22:18). • “Hypocrites” (Greek hupokritēs, stage-actor) labels their performance: outward piety masking inward hostility (Matthew 23:27-28). • His awareness underscores divine omniscience (Psalm 139:1-4). Outcome of the Encounter • His reply—“Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21)—silenced them; “they marveled and left Him and went away” (v. 22). • Instead of trapping Jesus, they exposed their own duplicity, fulfilling Proverbs 26:27. Key Takeaways for Us • Motives matter: outwardly religious acts can cloak rebellion against God (1 Samuel 16:7). • Jesus cannot be deceived; He sees through every façade (Hebrews 4:13). • Allegiance to earthly authorities must never cancel ultimate allegiance to God (Acts 5:29). |
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